Those who travel in the RPG circles may be familiar with the Anima: Beyond Fantasy game system, but for those who aren't it's set in a strange hybrid fantasy world that has both futuristic and medieval elements to it. The latest release from Bulkypix is set within this dark and Gothic universe, and while Ark of Sinners has high aspirations in its Metroid/vania like gameplay, it falls desperately short of the mark.
Most of the blame can be directed towards the game's flabby controls -…

The success of Jetpack Joyride has given Halfbrick Studios a kind of blueprint for future releases to follow. Fish Out Of Water! is the latest from the Aussie studio, however you'll be trading in your skilled trigger finger for something a little more relaxed.
The aim of the game is to score as high as possible from a panel of crabs. Each one will assign you an individual score (ala gymnastics) and your final is the average of them all - just watch out for the final crab as he'll mark…

As brilliant as a concept may be, if the player can't access your game it's going to fall flat. NVS Wargame - Ninja vs Samurai is an online only strategy title that suffers from many quirks, but most crippling of all is the instability of the servers you're forced to play on.
It's an odd decision on the part of the developer, especially as players can enjoy the single-player campaign without engaging in the multiplayer, however by pairing the two together (units and experience unlock…

Gamers who typically enjoy strategy titles invariably also enjoy the challenge that comes from seeing a mountain-sized burden of knowledge and conquering it to become masters of their virtual domain. Strategy & Tactics: World War II was once tied to the Hearts of Iron franchise - a series some strategy fans should recognize - and while the mobile title reduces the complexity significantly, it's no less opaque in its mechanics.
In other words, be prepared to fail, and fail often as…

That sense of deja vu you're feeling isn't surprising - we've seen this kind of skill-based platformer before, complete with its star-rating system based off completing the stage; collecting its bonus item; and crossing the finish line before a preset limit. Lumber Jacked is, in many ways (including its controls) very much the same game, but there is at least a twist.
For one, it's decidedly harder to complete the three-star requirements as you need to complete all three requirements…

Everything old is new again thanks to the iOS platform, and while the rotating-tower platformer is certainly not a new one, Mr. Crab manages to bring a breath of fresh air to the dusty concept. And hey, not everyone is an ancient curmudgeon like me, so party on you crazy kids.
Speaking of party, prepare to get your hat-head ready as Mr. Crab has a penchant for noggin-covers. This is more of an aside, but as Dave has mentioned before, gamers love their hats - it's a mystery for the age…

The year is finally on a roll and March saw a solid block of releases that finally made me have to pick and choose carefully. As always the judgment call on these is personal, so let us know what had you excited in the month of March.
This is AppSpy's Top 3 iOS Games for March, 2013.
Unmechanical (Teotl Studios) $2.99 Univ.
While some have complained about the controls, I only found they added an endearing quality to the nameless robot your control. He's just a little bit clumsy thanks to his haphazard construction - that's my story and I'm sticking to it. That said, for a game with such a limited control scheme it manages to throw a whole lot of interesting puzzles at the player, makin…

[Editor's Note: The developer has said they're interested in fleshing out the combat by adding in 'hit zones' (head, arms, torso, etc.) with each one affecting the monster in different ways. By making this an option players can switch on for their character, there's the potential for at least some level of depth as you weigh up the pros and cons of hitting a weak-spot and potentially missing.]
We're not going to begrudge the Android platform and its initially exclusive titles - not wh…

[Editor's Note: Although we've had two days with Dungeon Hunter 4, the nature of the freemium gameplay makes it hard to give a full assessment (thanks in part to the multiplayer proving difficult to test). It should also be noted we made a $5 gem pack purchase; we will highlight how this has affected our time with the game.]
There are moments when I regret my final decision after reviewing a game - Dungeon Hunter 3 has haunted me to this day and managed to get a free pass based on its…

If there's one constant about a lot of iPhone gameplay, it's taking an established genre or game type, and streamlining it as much as possible, to create ultimate accessibility, as well as perhaps a gateway into the genre at hand. Due to the obsession over the last few years of adding RPG leveling mechanics to everything, your average iOS gamer should be quite familiar with the adrenaline rush that accompanies leveling up a character and becoming more powerful. Slayin' tries to take th…

That's right, The Game Bakers are getting more than their fair share of French speaking testers for their upcoming title 'Combo Crew' (which is no surprise as they are also French), but they need a bit more of a balance so they're seeking English speaking testers as well.
Getting on board couldn't be easier - just check out their beta page and apply directly via email.
If the concept images and this snippet of teaser footage doesn't have you running to try it out early, I don't know what will!
[Combo Crew Beta Testers Needed]
[Combo Crew FB Page]…

I have to admit, I like the idea of a company taking the time to whet the appetite of their fans by providing a portable version of a title they're yet to release. We saw it back at the release of Mass Effect 3, and now we're seeing it again with Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros.
Of course any expectations of such a title being brought over in full, or at least as a complete brawler (albeit with a lowered roster ala Street Fighter's iOS releases) have been completely shot dow…

Every now and then you have to give the marketing department of a company their dues. When Interceptor Entertainment decided to bring the PC classic Duke Nukem 2 to the iOS platform, they opted to keep changes to a minimum, and as such their 'Key Features' list amusing entries such as 'insane VGA graphics' and '256 eye popping colors'. However, as amusing as it is, without some sort of attempt to meet modern gamers half way, this old-school side-scrolling shooter/platformer is only rea…

This week's Let's Play covers yet another free-to-play title, Injustice: Gods Among Us. How does a figher manage to pull off the 'free to play' model? Check out our overview of the gameplay and what the game has to offer (spoilers: it's a light fighter, but makes for a neat distraction if you're waiting to play its bigger brother).…

Joe and Jim aren't your typical mechanics - for one they're not averse to the odd spot of vigilantism when the Mafia and FBI start acting a bit 'weird'. Of course you could draw a comparison between this duo and another famous pair, but it's hardly a giant leap of logic when 3D Attack Interactive call their platformer 'The Other Brothers'... however beyond the basic motivation of saving a damsel in distress, the two are nothing alike (as far as platformers go).
While Mario and Luigi h…